The Place of Dead Roads

(1) George W. Bush will continue his bid to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for "Most Frequent Use of the Blame-the-Messenger Strategy (Modern Era)."...Next target: Who's leaking all that unhelpful news from Iraq, such as figures on American casualties and reports of torture by U.S.-trained Iraqi police?

(2) The administration will see steady "progress" in Iraq, even if the new government's first act is to sign a friendship pact with Iran.

(3) Congress will soldier on in its brave attempt to spend and collect public funds without the use of a pocket calculator...The only duty of Congress is to spend money as fast as the Chinese will lend it to us.

(4) Whenever she's asked, Condoleezza Rice will deny she's even thinking about running for president.

(5) Hillary Clinton will also deny that she's running for president -- at least until she gets reelected to the Senate.

6) Many other potential candidates will not deny they are running for president in 2008...only John McCain will gain any real traction. The White House will attempt to seem pleased by this development.

(7) Any and all of the above will be driven from the public consciousness...by an engrossing, ratings-boosting saga: An attractive young white woman will vanish.

(8) Fox News Channel...will go on to concoct imaginary "wars" against other holidays...here's a challenge to my talented friends at Fox: Come up with a "war on Labor Day."

(9) When the summer hurricanes come...the president will give a bold speech full of noble promises. Evacuees from Hurricane Katrina, still in their cramped trailers and temporary apartments, will not applaud.

(10) Americans will suddenly wake up and question the Bush administration about Iraq, about domestic spying, about global warming, about tax cuts. But just then, as the president fumbles for answers, a compelling news event will steal away the nation's attention.

Hard to believe, but another attractive young white woman will vanish.

# posted by nicholas @ 12:09 AM